Shelley Capito

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam President, I rise to highlight several key parts of the appropriations package the Senate will be considering later on this week. First, I want to point out some statistics. Ninety-two thousand of our coal miners are counting on us to protect their pensions. Thirteen thousand coal miners are counting on us to protect their healthcare benefits. This week, we will have a chance to do just that. I am very proud to have worked with our leader, Senator McConnell, Senator Manchin, Senator Portman, and others to introduce and champion the Bipartisan American Miners Act. I appreciate that my counterpart on the House side, Congressman David McKinley, has worked consistently and tirelessly on this bill in the House, along with our other Representatives from West Virginia, Alex Mooney and Carol Miller. Most of all, I appreciate the West Virginian miners and their families who have traveled to Washington to advocate for their promised benefits and for their communities. I stood outside the Capitol with thousands of coal miners and their families several years ago in seriously suffocating heat, as DC can heat up during the summer, to rally in support of those benefits. Miners have come to Washington in the snow and in the rain. Their camouflage shirts have stood out around the Capitol as they worked tirelessly to educate us about the critical need for action. You have probably seen them in the halls. No one should be surprised by their dedication and commitment because our West Virginian miners have answered the call throughout their careers. Their hard work provided the electricity and the steel that has powered our American economy. The time has come to protect those retirement benefits these miners have earned. The Bipartisan American Miners Act will secure both pension and healthcare benefits for those hard-working men and women. I want to thank the United Mine Workers of America and their president, Cecil Roberts, for his work and their work in advocating for our miners. More than 25,000 miners from all of West Virginia's 55 counties will have received payments from their pension benefits last year. More than 5,600 West Virginians miners are at risk of losing their healthcare benefits if we fail to act. Almost $200 million in pension benefits were paid from this fund to West Virginians last year. The loss of those funds would certainly have harmed the retirees themselves, no doubt, but also the local businesses they patronize across the State and their communities. As one West Virginian wrote to me just last night, ``My father is a retired miner from Marion County who will be turning 80 in January. This will give him and my mother some long overdue and well deserved peace of mind. They have been worrying unduly throughout the last several months.'' Thousands of miners in West Virginia and elsewhere in coal country will have a merrier Christmas when this bill becomes law later this week. I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this critical legislation. There are a number of other reasons to support the appropriations bills we will be considering in the next several days. I wanted to highlight one that can have a significant impact on my State of West Virginia. I was proud to ensure that in the transportation and infrastructure title of the appropriations bill, we fund the Appalachian Development Highway System at $100 million. That will help us as we work to continue the last remaining enormous project in our State, Corridor H. I have also advocated for action to address our structurally deficient bridges. In my State, we have a lot of hills and a lot of valleys, and we have a lot of bridges. Almost 20 percent of our West Virginia bridges are classified as structurally deficient. I think it is a universal statistic in the country. This bill takes the absolutely necessary step to provide funding for over $1.15 billion to fund highway bridge projects of which West Virginia is eligible for $50 million. Roads and bridges have a huge economic impact on our communities and our quality of life, everything we do every day. I am proud we have included these important investments. As chairman of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, I want to address items included in our subcommittee's funding bill as well. A little over a year ago, I stood here to talk about the increasing crisis at our southern border. When I spoke to you then, apprehensions at our southern border were 30 percent higher than they were the year before, and they were much higher than they are today, as I speak. The crisis was not limited to the realm of illegal immigrants because fentanyl seizures were up 115 percent, along with other illicit narcotics: heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana. Thanks to the leadership of the President and also this Congress the situation has improved. We should also recognize the improved coordination with Mexico and partnerships with other countries that have helped curb the flow of those entering our country illegally. Though the situation has improved, it is far from being solved. Frankly, we are one ruling away from an activist judge who could create the flows of those trending upward again. As such, I am proud to say that the homeland security title in the package we are considering this week provides funds and resources to continue the good work we have been pursuing to stem the tide of illegal immigration. Twice I have seen firsthand on the border--the southwest border--the challenges we face--and, yes, the progress we have made. This bill supports the work of the men and women of the Department at CBP, ICE, HSI, the Coast Guard, and many others who are daily standing watch on our borders, on our coasts, and on our computer networks. This bill invests in personnel, particularly by creating a new position: Border Patrol processing coordinators. This was a particular interest of mine after talking to numerous people at the Department and while visiting the border, describing the frustration they felt as agents and officers. This funding provided for these processing coordinators will return 240 of our border agents to the frontlines to enforce our immigration laws, which is what they are trained to do. In regard to physical barriers, we provide the enacted level of $1.37 billion. The only thing similar to last year is the amount of money provided because the flexibility we provide the Department is a significant change and a significant improvement. The bipartisan fiscal year 2017 appropriations bill required our Customs and Border Protection to provide us with a comprehensive Border Security Improvement Plan. I was going to bring it with me today, but, to be honest with you, I left it in my office. The funds we provide this week will enable the Department to follow that plan. While passage of our Senate bill would have been ideal, a continuing resolution would have had a devastating effect on homeland security. The bill we are going to pass will help us take another step forward in securing our border. I am so very proud of the men and women who work at the Department of Homeland Security, and I was able to meet quite a few. The crisis they faced when I spoke here last year was a real one. Through their dedication and efforts, so much progress has been made, and I look forward to speaking to you a year from now about what we have been able to accomplish with the resources and tools we can provide them with this bill. There are many other vital provisions across our appropriations bill, including a 3.1-percent pay increase for our troops and significant increases in funding for our veterans for the MISSION Act, increasing funding for combating the opioid epidemic, expanding our rural broadband, and researching cures for diseases. One of those diseases hit many of us and has hit me quite personally; that is, Alzheimer's. Research for Alzheimer's is, I think, absolutely essential, and we are increasing that. I commend all my colleagues who worked to put together the bipartisan appropriations bills. I congratulate Senator Shelby, in particular, and Senator Leahy for working together, and I look forward to voting for these bills later in the week. With that, I yield back.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I am pleased to be on the floor with my colleagues to honor our friend and our colleague, Johnny Isakson from Georgia. I could almost tell you he is probably hating this about now, but I want to get my two cents in. I don't need to read off his impressive resume or thank him for his service in the Georgia National Guard, his successful real estate business, his extensive public service, and all that he has done and accomplished in Congress. I want to talk about Johnny Isakson, my friend. You hear everybody in this body get up and we say: My colleague and my friend. Sometimes I am not sure we are really talking about friends, but I want to tell you, Johnny, I am not making this up. I am talking about you as my friend. I am not just being polite. You know me better than that. I will tell a little story, and he has heard me tell it, but when I was first elected to the House of Representatives in the year 2000, I was walking down the aisle, probably our first vote, had no idea really what I was doing, didn't know anybody in the 435-Member body, and I must have had it written all over my face because I was wandering, and this hand reaches out, and he says: Why don't you sit down here next to me, and we can talk about what is going on. That was my introduction to Johnny Isakson. We talked about what was going on on the floor. We talked about who his friends were. We talked about the fact that my mother's family was from Perry, GA, and I had some Georgia blood running through these veins. Johnny, as we have heard, doesn't care if you have been here 20 years or if you have been here 20 minutes, he wants to be a friend. I heard him say that the other day; that he has friends and then he has future friends. I have actually thought about that a lot over the holiday weekend. He doesn't care if you are a Republican or Democrat, from the North or the South--South will probably help a little bit--East or West, he has an innate ability to put everybody at ease. He doesn't count anybody as an enemy. We have been to the Prayer Breakfast. We have shared our highs and lows together in our respective lives. He never cares who gets the credit. He just cares about getting things done. I think you have seen that through everybody's wonderful tributes to Johnny. He brings people together. That is hard to do, but he leads by example. He has been a great example to me. You have been a great example to me. My colleague from North Dakota, Senator John Hoeven, has called you ``Mr. Congeniality of the Senate.'' I can't think of a better analogy. You are Mr. Congeniality, but you are also a very forceful, strong person with a steel spine to know what is right and what is wrong. The Bible asks, ``What does the Lord require of you?'' Johnny is living that answer: to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God. We could use a few more humble walkers around here, I think. We could sure use more Johnny Isaksons. You will be there cheering us on, I know, because your heart is with your many friends who are here. I will miss seeing you coming around the corner because our offices are very close. I will miss our car rides together and our golf games together. I will miss that extended hand in friendship, but I know that you will still be extending it from your home with your family and your many, many friends. I am really happy to be here. This is happy for me because I think it is happy for you. I think that as much as you probably regret leaving and feel there is more work to be done, you can go in peace and love and know that you have happy days ahead of you and a lot of well- wishers on the way. Johnny, thanks a lot. Thanks for extending that hand of friendship. It meant so much to me then, as it does today. Good luck and Godspeed.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam President, I am privileged to be on the floor today with the Senator from Iowa, Ms. Ernst. I am here to join in a chorus of voices to ask this Congress to do better, to do our to-do list, and to do the things people sent us here to do. I am going to highlight some of the critical items Congress still needs to get done. Senator Ernst talked about them very eloquently. When I am home in West Virginia, people ask me about policies that impact their everyday lives. They ask about healthcare. They ask about the pensions and healthcare for our retired miners. They ask about surprise medical bills. I have certainly received them, and many people in this country every day, 2 or 3 months after an operation or a visit to the hospital, may receive a bill in the mail they had no idea was coming their way. The high cost of prescription drugs is an issue that hits many of us in our pocketbooks, and particularly for those who suffer from disease or who are elderly, it is a particular strain on their wallets. They ask about national security and caring for our veterans. Here is one everybody complains about, including all of us here--robocalls. Can somebody please stop the onslaught of robocalls? We have legislation, but we are not getting the action on it that we need. We need better trade deals that will help grow our economy and support our American workers. Do you know what they are not asking me about? My constituents are not asking me about the latest impeachment headline. They are not asking me about witnesses in front of a House committee or the newest ``breaking news'' over on the House side. In their minds--it is just a bunch of Washington hoopla to most people. A few days ago, I ran into some constituents while I was running errands, and they said to me: Just stop this. Stop this. Something similar happened while I was grocery shopping. The butcher said to me: Aren't you just tired of it? Well, yes, I am. We have 2 weeks until Congress leaves for Christmas break and 21 days until the end of the month, and we still have so much to do. Our sole focus should be on legislating and making life better for people across the country. I can tell you, as somebody who has been in this body and in the House for several years, when you rush to judgment and when you rush to legislate, that is when things that you don't know get into bills and things that you want in bills don't get into bills. So rushing into legislating is not the fairest way to do it. I am pleased that at long last, we are going to pass the National Defense Authorization Act that protects our national security and supports our men and women in uniform. We still need to pass appropriations bills that fund much of our Federal Government. I am the chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee, so I very much want to see us enact a bill that will provide critical resources to protect this country. Homeland Security. Sure, we have Border Patrol, we have the wall, and we have ICE. Do you know what else we have? We have the Coast Guard, TSA, the Secret Service, FEMA--absolutely essential services. This includes funding for our immigration laws and also continuing to fund the work on the border wall system. I want to see us pass all 11 of these bills, as well as provide funding for our troops and our veterans. Funding medical research. I am committed to funding Alzheimer's research, addressing the opioid epidemic, infrastructure, and many other priorities. I also have a priority that really affects just part of the country but deeply affects those of us in West Virginia. We need to enact the Bipartisan American Miners Act this year. Congress must act to save the healthcare of 13,000 retired miners and protect the pension benefits of about 92,000 people. More than 25,000 retired miners received benefits in West Virginia last year. We have a bipartisan bill to address this critical issue for our mining families and for West Virginia communities. It is critical that we pass this bill before the end of the year because this situation is getting more dire every single day. The USMCA--United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement--has been waiting for action all year, as Senator Ernst said. I am glad to see that Speaker Pelosi is finally moving on this. It is an agreement that will grow our economy and includes robust protections for American workers. We have to get this across the finish line. I am especially proud of the work we are doing on the Environment and Public Works Committee. We passed a bipartisan 5-year highway bill. It had a unanimous vote, 21 to 0. It would help improve roads, highways, and bridges that Americans count on every day to travel safely, whether they are going to church, going to the job, or going on a family trip. Reauthorization of the Federal Surface Transportation Program is a top priority for the coming year. We have a lot to do in the coming days, but we also have lots to do in the coming year. I hope we will work together and not practice the past practices of this year. I hope we will work together to get the job done. I yield back.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I am really pleased to be here with my fellow West Virginia Senator, Mr. Manchin. We have joined each other on this topic before, but he has been a real champion for our miners, and I am really grateful to him and others who have participated, but I think we have got to talk about this every day and make sure that we underscore the urgent need to pass the Bipartisan American Miners Act. I appreciate Senator Manchin and certainly appreciate Leader McConnell who has been a champion for our miners as well--Senator Portland as well--who have made this retirement security a top priority. Back in 2017, time was running out on the healthcare benefits for 12,000 retired miners. I remember it well, particularly following the Patriot Coal bankruptcy. We came together as a bipartisan group to pass legislation with the House that protected healthcare for those men and women. While we are in a similar situation today, which we knew we were going to be here, the Senate needs to act soon to save the healthcare of 13,000 retired miners and protect the pension benefits of 92,000 people. Time is of the essence here because roughly 1,000 retirees from Westmoreland and Mission Coal will lose their healthcare at the end of the year if we do not act; 12,000 more could lose their healthcare by next spring, and the pension benefits are at risk in 2020. This is a critical, critical issue for my State and many others. I am going to take a brief moment to explain how this legislation works, and it is a bit complicated. In 2006, when we passed the last reauthorization of the Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Program, we had a capped permanent direct appropriation that was created for transfer of payments. That permanent direct appropriation, along with the interest on the AML--the Abandoned Mine Land--trust fund has been used to fund AML payments to certified States and to provide healthcare for our miners. What do we do to certify States? The whole point of the AML is to do reclamation and repair of previously mined lands all throughout our country. That permanent direct appropriation has been used for the payments for the certified States and also to provide healthcare to our orphaned miners. Well, for those who are not from a coal company, what is an orphaned miner? An orphaned miner is someone who earned a vested right to retiree healthcare benefits through years of hard work but worked for a company that either no longer exists or is no longer financially solvent. The Bipartisan American Miners Act makes use of the same appropriation that was created in 2006 to cover the healthcare for retirees whose healthcare would be lost due to the bankruptcies in 2018, 2019. The bill would provide resources to guarantee the long-term solvency of the mine workers' pension fund. This is critical. Previous versions of this bill that many of us supported were able to accomplish this goal of protecting those retirement beneficiaries without lifting the cap on the direct appropriation that was set in 2006. Because Congress has delayed action for so long, our current legislation must lift the cap in order to provide healthcare and pension benefits for our miners. Protecting these benefits is a top priority for me because it impacts so many mining families and communities in West Virginia. Just last weekend, I talked to three miners directly impacted, just kind of randomly ran into them in different areas of our State. But I think it is important to understand that this bill does not place other policy items in jeopardy. That is a misconception. Passing this bill does not disturb the principal balance of the AML trust fund. That means we are not jeopardizing funds that are used to clean up abandoned mine sites, and passing this bill will not cut funding for other transfer payments that are authorized by the law. What the bill will do is protect retirement benefits for tens of thousands of retired miners and their families--benefits that have been worked for, benefits that have been earned through the hard work in our mines; 25,451 West Virginians received benefits from the pension fund during 2018. They were joined by more than 11,000 Pennsylvanians, 8,500 Kentuckians, and thousands more from Illinois, Virginia, Alabama, and Ohio. The pension benefits of all the men and women are at risk if Congress fails to act. The average benefit--listen to this--the average benefit for our miners is $590 a month, so these are not lavish benefits, but they are critical to our retirees. One retired miner from Logan, WV, who worked for 36 years in the mines, wrote me and said, ``Please keep fighting to save our pension. I receive $303.34 monthly. We need this badly to help us pay for our food, our medicine and other bills.'' A miner from Richwood, WV, who mined coal for 17 years, wrote, ``My monthly check is $192. It is not a lot of money, but it means a lot to my ability to make ends meet.'' I would add to both of these, these men, these gentlemen, they worked for these pensions. They paid into the pensions. They should receive them. Pension benefits from the mine workers plan went to individuals in all 55 West Virginian counties, so this is truly an issue that impacts my entire State. But in the areas that have the largest number of pensioners, which is Raleigh, Logan, Wyoming, Marion, and Boone Counties, cuts to the pension and healthcare benefits of our retired families would have significant impacts on our entire community. If these retirees face severe reductions in their pensions, it means less money spent at the local businesses, less money at a local restaurant, and it would cause further economic harm to the areas that cannot afford another blow. So I ask my colleagues to join me, Senator Manchin, Leader McConnell, Senator Portman, and many others, by supporting the Bipartisan American Miners Act. I yield the floor.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, as you know, this coming Monday, November 11, is Veterans Day. I have heard my colleagues pay tribute to veterans in their own special way, and I wanted to be a part of that group today to offer a mighty thank-you to our men and women who serve. I stand before you to honor the brave men and women of the U.S. armed services, past and present, who have stood up to protect us and our freedoms that we hold so dear. Veterans Day, to me, is a day to reflect on the sacrifices made by all of those who served. It is a time to say thank you. It is a time to pause and think about the veterans themselves and their families. It is also a time for younger people, and I am talking elementary-aged students, to really see the pride and the commitment our veterans over time have had. Whether you are going to your hometown parade or going to a cemetery ceremony or just talking about it within your own home, throughout America's history, our military has been regarded as the greatest in the world, and it sure is. Our military would not be what it is without the men and women of our All-Volunteer Force. I am a daughter of a World War II veteran. I grew up hearing smidgeons of his stories off and on the battlefield, and I have always been in awe of those who served. He was very proud of his service in World War II. November 20, 1944, my father, SSG Arch A. Moore, Jr., from Moundsville, WV, was serving somewhere on the Belgium-German line when he was shot in the face, and he was left for dead on the battlefield for 2 days. He talked about it was in a beet field. I remember him saying it was in a beet field. I didn't like beets, and now I knew why I really didn't like beets. He also talked about how he was equipped with some painkiller that he could put on his leg to sort of ease the pain as he lay there hoping somebody would come and get him. That was the end of his service on the battlefield. He was taken and miraculously had a great recovery after probably a year of recovery over in England. For his actions on the battlefield, he received the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Combat Infantryman Badge, and the European Theater of Operations Ribbon with three battle stars. Like my father, so many of the veterans of World War II faced a harsh reality in this conflict. This year marks the 75th anniversary of two of World War II's most notable battles: D-Day and Battle of the Bulge. Battle of the Bulge is going to be in December next month. Actually, my dad's platoon went on to fight in the Battle of the Bulge, and only three of his platoon survived. D-Day is known as the turning point in the war because those brave soldiers pushed their way through German forces to take back Normandy. If anybody wants to see what a sacrifice our country made in World War II, and more for young people to see, I would recommend going to the cemetery in Normandy and seeing those white markers of a very young American force. While there were many casualties, the United States and our allies prevailed and managed to change the direction of the war at the same time. As I said, next month we will remember the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. Many Americans lost their lives fending off the German offensive, but we were eventually victorious, which paved the way to the end of the war 5 months later. West Virginia is also home to one of the last remaining Medal of Honor recipients from World War II, and that is our own Hershel ``Woody'' Williams. He turned 96 last month. He travels the country talking about veterans and love of country. I ran the Marine Marathon 2 weeks ago in honor of all marines, but I thought about Woody as a marine. I say I ran my first marathon--probably my last--but I thought about Woody as he valiantly fought in the battle of Iwo Jima and rightfully earned the military's most prestigious medals for his actions during the war. Anecdotally, I think he will be leading the parade in New York City on Veterans Day. With the growing age of this Nation's World War II veterans, I encourage our youth to take the time to listen to the stories of heroism from our ``greatest generation.'' Without their valiant actions and dedication to preserving our freedoms, this country would not be what it is today. We also must honor all of our veterans from all our eras. Whether it is World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, the selfless actions of our U.S. soldiers must not go unrecognized. They put their lives on the line to afford us the opportunity to live in the greatest country on Earth. We can have our own religious freedom, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, but all the freedoms we enjoy are because of the folks who went before us who were dedicated and willing to serve. On Capitol Hill, as we know, there are many divisive issues, but ensuring that our veterans receive the support they have earned through their dedicated service to our country is something we all agree on. Like the gentleman here today, the Senator from North Dakota, I happen to serve on the Appropriations Committee. I am on the Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies. It has been our priority to make sure veterans programs receive the funding necessary to best assist our men and women who have served the country. In recent years, Congress has made great strides in trying to improve the VA system, which can always be improved even more, but the legislation we put forward, the VA MISSION Act, I think, will help and has helped. It improved the VA healthcare system by establishing a permanent veterans community care program and expanding our VA caregiving benefits to veterans from all eras. When they say it is 10 miles as the crow flies in mountainous States like West Virginia, if you are driving in West Virginia, that is not going to take you 10 minutes. That could take you an hour, and that is not because of the traffic. Providing community care to our veterans is important because it allows them to receive the care they need without having to travel these long and sometimes arduous routes. Our work must not stop here. We must continue to work on legislation that will benefit our veteran community. As a Senator, one of my greatest privileges is to make sure our veterans receive the respect and admiration they have earned throughout their service. This is especially true given that West Virginia has one of the largest per capita populations of veterans in this country. The pride West Virginia veterans have is truly remarkable. After service, these men and women are the bedrock of our communities and make significant contributions to making them better. Rightfully so, Virginians have a great amount of admiration for those who have served, and it is reflected in our communities. We have a lot of statues, a lot of parks, a lot of commemorative highways, a lot of moments of silence in West Virginia to honor our veterans we have lost and those who have gone before us. I was marching in the Ripley Veterans Day parade last Veterans Day, and I was overwhelmed by the support a small town would show its veterans. Whether someone has served in combat or assisted with the daily operations of the military, their dedication to defending this country must not be unnoticed. On Monday, I urge everyone to take a moment to thank a veteran. At the same time, this shouldn't be limited to just Veterans Day. We should thank our veterans each and every day. It is important that we pay them the respect when the opportunity arises. I really feel good when I am getting on a plane and the announcement is made that our military in uniform are allowed to enter the plane. You know how those crowds get up when it is time to get on the plane. Many times, the crowd will part and, in admiration of our military, welcome that little bit of a head start they get to board the plane. Without great sacrifices and dedication to defending this flag, this country would not be what it is. I say God bless our veterans. God bless our country. I yield the floor.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I think it is very impactful for us to be discussing today a problem that has hit all of our States. Senator Blunt, in his great work not just on the Appropriations Committee but in his State of Missouri, has been very active. I think we all have. It is a problem that knows no political boundaries. Certainly, my State of West Virginia has one of the deepest, strongest, and toughest problem. We have the highest rate of opioid- related deaths per capita. It is not something we wear proudly, but it is something that has really forced us to try many innovative things and to try to be the leader in the solutions. That is a lot of what I am going to talk about today because a lot of what we have seen in the SUPPORT Act, from all of our individual States, has been incorporated into a national response to what is an epidemic around our country that is frightening, scary, and, in my view, could almost lead us to losing a generation. This powerful reaction we have had to the three pieces of legislation is absolutely critical. We passed the SUPPORT Act. It was signed into law a little bit over a year ago. That was really as an add-on to the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act that we passed several years before that, but as my part of this discussion today, I want to share the successes that have worked in our State and how I think they have been able to be incorporated around the country. After CARA, we realized that while we did great with money for rehab facilities and helping our first responders with Narcan and other more immediate problems, there were other things we didn't focus on that we really needed to focus on in order to have a comprehensive solution, and that is the children--the children who are impacted in a home of addiction or exposure to addiction and also the jobs that are being lost because of it. So we went back to the drawing board, and we came up with the SUPPORT Act, which is landmark legislation where we are seeing real results. For instance, in my State of West Virginia, the State opioid response grants are the grants that really go to every State in a formula fashion, where you are supporting treatment centers, drug courts, and other responses to the addiction issue, but under the old rule, the money was divided up according to your population size. So I started talking with Senator Shaheen from New Hampshire--a small State impacted more critically, like our State of West Virginia--and saying: Wait a minute. Our smaller States are really not getting enough in the State opioid response grants to make an impact and to be part of the solution. So we pushed hard to change this funding so States that are more acutely affected, that have smaller populations, like Montana, West Virginia, and New Hampshire, are able to get more funding so we can attack the problem where it is the deepest and the most acute. It helps with our WVU Comprehensive Opioid Addiction Treatment, the COAT, Program, the model they have put together at WVU for medication- assisted treatment made. It helps with our peer recovery coaches, and it has also had a lot of impact on our children and our families. What we have also found, like every State here, I am sure--in the State of Arkansas, you probably have more kids in foster care than you have had in the past because of this issue. According to our West Virginia Bureau of Children and Families, approximately 82 percent of the children who are in foster care are there because of parents with substance abuse-related issues. That is 82 percent of our children, and we have thousands more in foster care. It is directly attributable to this issue. It doesn't even mention all the grandparents and great- grandparents, in some cases, who are raising children. How do we tackle the ripple effects of this issue? Well, you can create something that was also created in West Virginia called the Martinsburg Initiative. It is spearheaded by the Martinsburg Police Department--a small city very close to DC, the West Virginia part that is close to DC--the Berkeley County Schools, and Shepherd University. It is a partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of the Eastern Panhandle. This is based on a CDC study that shows that when children have adverse childhood experiences--called ACES--if you can categorize children who have adverse childhood experiences, if you can identify those children and pay special attention to them through things like the Martinsburg Initiative, you can maybe head off issues that could come into their future. So police officers come to the schools. They mentor the children. I met them at the Boys & Girls Club of the Eastern Panhandle and talked about the positive influence a police officer, combined with the schools, combined with a college student, can have on a young person's life--and, in some cases, the most trusted person in their life--if they are subject to a home that is filled with drug and opioid addiction. We saw the success of this. I joined with Senator Durbin--again, across the aisle--to ensure that the SUPPORT Act created some of this. We are now taking it the next step forward to address these issues in the RISE from Trauma Act, which would help us to build the trauma-informed workforce--we don't have enough people working in this area--and increase those resources in our communities. Senator Blunt talked about how important it is to work with babies who are born with exposure to drugs. This is also a part of the solution that has come from West Virginia, where the baby is taken out of the hospital setting to try to address the issues of that first trauma in the first days of their life, to try to wean them off of not just the exposure to drugs but also to incorporate the family into this so they can see what kind of pediatric recovery is needed and what the long-term effects might be. Senator Portman has been an incredible leader, trying to get rid of the fentanyl that comes in that is killing people. Over half of the people who die, die of a fentanyl overdose. He is trying to work with China and to work with the post office to get the tools to prevent illegal fentanyl from entering this country. We have had some success, but it is still frustrating. There is too much getting in. I chair the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Appropriations. This is a big issue for our Border Patrol and our ICE agents to be able to make sure we are giving our post office the tools. Another thing we did was we passed the INTERDICT Act, which the President signed, which will help the CBP and also the post office be able to detect fentanyl. It comes in these little packages because it is so very lethal. A lot of what we have done is Federal funding, but a lot of what we have done is listen to what our local communities are doing and listen to how they are solving problem in States that are highly affected. One of our communities of Huntington has really been a leader in this. One of the most effective strategies that Huntington has had--and Huntington had the highest overdose rate in our State--was to create these quick response teams. This is when a person comes into the emergency room with an overdose and is discharged, they are then contacted within 72 hours by a quick response team from the community. A plainclothes police officer, with a health officer or a social worker, and, in some cases, a faith-based respondent comes in and says: Are you ready for recovery? When you are ready for recovery, this is where you go. We are your community. We want to help you. We understand where you are. We understand your issues. We are your neighbors, and we want to help you. This has really already had a very good effect in the city of Huntington, in Cabell County, because the overdose rate in that area has gone down 26 percent since they instituted the quick response team concept. So it is going across the country, and part of that is because it is in the SUPPORT Act. I have hope for what we have done in West Virginia, but there are way too many people and families who are affected by this. There are too many lost lives, too much lost time, and too much lost love, quite frankly. There are parents of children who can't sleep at night. The only night they sleep is when they know their child is incarcerated because they don't know if they are going to wake up the next morning. There is story after story of just tragedies. We are all working together. I think we have a long way to go. I think we have hit on some good solutions. We need to keep the ones that are working, and the ones that don't work, send them on down the road because we know there is no one solution to this very difficult problem. I am going to continue to fight with my colleagues here today for every single person and all those folks whose lives are touched by this crisis. Do you know what? We are all touched by it. If I ask for a show of hands in a townhall meeting and say: Who knows somebody who has been touched by this crisis, it is almost unanimous. Everybody raises their hands. We are going to emerge stronger. I am optimistic, but this is a long fight. I am really pleased to join with so many of my colleagues in this fight. I think my colleague from Arkansas, who has worked hard on this as well, is the next one up. Thank you.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize my friend John Robertson, a dedicated servant to the great people of West Virginia and native of our State capital, Charleston. After a 41-year career, John is retiring as the general manager of the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center. Throughout these past four decades, John's leadership has transformed the facility, turning it into one of the cultural epicenters of our State. In August of 1978, with a bachelor's degree from the University of Charleston under his belt, John began his career as an assistant manager for the Charleston Civic Center. At the time, the building was in its fledgling stages, having just broken ground the month before. For John, it was all hands on deck, and he hit the ground running, assisting in structural related duties, as well as the concession stand operations. Two years later, in August of 1980, the Charleston Civic Center was host to its first big concert--the band Queen. With John's vision and leadership at the helm, this was just the beginning for the Charleston Civic Center. Soon after the center was completed, the necessary renovations to turn the civic center into exhibit and meeting facilities were well under way. Through additional construction, two parking structures were placed contiguous to the Civic Center, creating an entirely different complex by 1983. John's greatest of many accomplishments has come within the past few years, when approval of a city sales tax appropriated the proper funding to build the state-of-the-art facility that he had always dreamed of creating for his home town. John worked tirelessly with the mayor and Charleston city council, civic center board members, his staff, city planners, and consulting firms to complete the new Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center in the fall of 2018. This achievement is underscored by the fact that the center was continually operated during the entire construction period. The Charleston Civic Center is held so fondly in the memories of so many West Virginians. For some, it is where they saw their favorite band perform live for the first time. For others, it was where they were able to bring home a State basketball title. From Garth Brooks concerts, to oldtime car shows, West Virginia versus Marshall basketball games or the West Virginia Book Festival, one thing has remained the same; that is, John's dedication to the citizens of Charleston through his tireless work to make sure that every detail of every event, no matter how big or small, held at the Charleston Civic Center was in place. In retirement, John will now have more time to spend with his loving wife Kimberly, his daughters Bethany and Allyson, and his grandchildren Lucy and Henry, but the lasting effects of what he did for our State and the city of Charleston will continue on for generations to come. I wish John all the best as he continues to make a difference in his community with his unwavering diligence and kind soul. It is truly an honor to call you friend and fellow West Virginian.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, with the election of President Trump in 2016, it was reasonable to believe that the war on coal was settled, or at least we had a lasting cease-fire. This administration's policies, supported by the Congressional Review Act resolutions, undid many of the excesses of the Obama administration's regulatory assault on coal country. Congress and the President overturned the so- called stream protection rule, which would have made it nearly impossible to mine coal in Appalachia. The Trump administration has returned sanity to the clean water permitting process in section 404 and is in the process of restoring the Waters of the United States rule to align with congressional intent of protecting Federal waters and not every stream, ditch, and gully across this country, but the jewel of the War on Coal's crown was always the Clean Power Plan. A sweeping rule to limit the use of coal in our power generation mix, the Clean Power Plan ran roughshod over utility investments and States' rights to protect their taxpayers and ratepayers. In a moment of clarity, then-Candidate Obama acknowledged that under his vision for our power system ``electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket.'' The Clean Power Plan, if implemented, would have made that vision a reality. Energy is a topline item in many of our families' budgets and very expensive, and this policy would have grown these costs significantly. This plan was so disastrous and so clearly beyond the scope of EPA's authority that 24 States--with West Virginia in the lead--sued to stop it. The Supreme Court--our Supreme Court--heard the call and placed a stay on the rule while a lower court weighed the merits. This June, the Trump EPA finalized its replacement for this unlawful CPP with the Affordable Clean Energy rule. This commonsense alternative acknowledges the need to reduce carbon emissions from our power sector but ensures that EPA targets are actually achievable and will not kill jobs in the utility and energy sectors, nor crush American families with higher electric bills. Fully implemented, the ACE rule will reduce the CO2 emissions by as much as 35 percent from 2005 levels. This administration understands that protecting our environment need not come at the expense of a growing economy. The result has been a growth in our national GDP that the Obama administration's economic projections predicted would be unachievable. The unemployment rate of my own State of West Virginia is now 4.6 percent, after it had peaked in 2010 at 8.8 percent. This week, many Democrats in this body want to put all this progress in jeopardy and reopen the War on Coal with a Congressional Review Act resolution to block the ACE rule. Senate Democrats and their Presidential candidates have doubled down on policies that would destroy our jobs, hammer consumers, and burden future generations with staggering amounts of debt. Refusing to learn the lessons of Hillary Clinton's 2016 failed campaign promise, which was to put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business, the former Vice President has taken it a step further: pledging on a Detroit debate stage in July to ``make sure'' that coal and natural gas that comes from fracking are ``eliminated.'' There is much support on the other side for the Green New Deal's energy and environmental components, which would cost between $8 trillion and $12 trillion, and that is before adding other extreme visions for the government takeover of healthcare, education, and agriculture. The Democrats' energy agenda will lead to fewer jobs, more expensive utility bills, and less reliable electricity. We already see the lack of reliability of our electricity grid in California right now. I hope the Senate will refuse to go down this path toward impoverishing the very people who power the country and make our quality of life possible. Passage of this resolution would serve as the starting point for a resumption of the War on Coal and a march to the extremist excesses of the Green New Deal. I urge my colleagues to heed the voice of the American people and vote no on the resolution disapproving the ACE rule.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 310, submitted earlier today.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I am really pleased to be here with my fellow Senator from the State of West Virginia to talk about a really great city and very historic city in our State of West Virginia, and that is to recognize the 250th birthday anniversary of the city of Wheeling, WV. In September of 1769, Ebenezer Zane set out into the great unknown, as many of our brave earlier settlers did. He found a place nestled at the mouth of a river, and he girdled a group of trees together and carved his family name into them, claiming his tomahawk right, as was the custom of the time. That clearing that Zane created, where he built his home and raised his family, would develop into the city of Wheeling. I grew up just 10 miles south of Wheeling, WV. Wheeling is a city of industry, good people, and growth. Yes, there have been ups and downs over the years, but today it is as vibrant as ever. As West Virginians, we all take pride in our State's progress through the years, but Wheeling has made a particularly special mark on our State. During the Wheeling Convention of 1861, Western Virginians voted to secede from Virginia so that we could remain loyal to the Union. They declared that Virginia officials had abandoned their posts, and they established a provisional government with Francis Pierpont as the Governor. Then, in 1863--something we are very proud of--President Lincoln issued a proclamation admitting the State of West Virginia into the Union and instituting Wheeling, WV, as our first State capital. The bold actions of the men of the Wheeling Convention opened the gate for the creation of the State I know we know and love, the State that we are so proud to call home and to serve here in the Senate. As a matter of fact, we have a statue to honor our first Governor, Governor Francis Pierpont, the father of West Virginia, and it still stands in the Capitol in Statuary Hall today. As a new State following the Civil War, West Virginia sought to cement its place in the recovering Union, and Wheeling became an early transportation epicenter. Probably, traveling to the Presiding Officer's State, you had to go right through Wheeling. With the presence of the National Road, including the Wheeling Suspension Bridge, which is still there today, the city connected the Ohio River with the Potomac River and offered further expansion to the west. As a result, Wheeling, WV, was able to become a powerhouse in the steel industry. We have all heard of Wheeling steel. In the late 19th century, Wheeling was producing nearly half of the Nation's nails, earning it the nickname ``Nail City.'' Today, Wheeling has revived its downtown, winning the 2019 Great American Main Street Award. In the past 3 years, they have opened 37 new small businesses--the backbone of our State--and the city has opened tourism to the Ohio River Valley, from the Victorian Capitol Theater and the shops and eateries of Centre Market to one of the best--and, I will say, not one of the best but the best--holiday light shows in the country at Oglebay Park, their Winter Festival of Lights. Wheeling is historic. It is beautiful, and it is booming. That is all thanks to the creative and incredible men and women who have called it home over the years. One of my favorite historic stories about Wheeling involves one of those brave men, Major Samuel McColloch. Back in September of 1777, during the Revolutionary War, there was a siege on Fort Henry, which today is Wheeling. As the fort came under attack by a group of Native Americans, Major McColloch arrived at the fort with 40 mounted men. They all made it safely inside the gate except for the major, who was then forced to flee to a nearby hill. If you know anything about West Virginia or Wheeling, WV, we have plenty of hills. So when he got to the top, he found himself surrounded, and his only hope of escaping was by leaping off of the edge, which was about a 300- foot drop. Well, being the bold leader that he was, Major McColloch took the jump. He and his horse survived this leap, and they galloped away. Today, that spot is marked by an historic marker, and it is called McColloch's Leap. I can remember my parents, when I was a young girl and we would go to Wheeling, stopping and explaining this incredible story about the leap of Major McColloch with his horse down the 300 feet. You ought to go see it, because when you look at it, you go: Whoa, that is a long way. Of course we cannot forget the women who also helped to shape Wheeling's history. There was another siege on Fort Henry that took place in September of 1782. It is often known as the Last Battle of the Revolutionary War. Native Americans and British Rangers had laid siege to the fort, with some 40 men defending it and protecting and guarding the women and children inside. As the battle raged on, the settlers knew that they would soon deplete their ammunition, but they knew of a stockpile at the nearby Zane homestead. So one volunteer, Betty Zane, Ebenezer's sister and one of the original settlers of Wheeling, stepped up. She ran to her brother's cabin at her own peril, gathered up the gunpowder in a tablecloth and returned through enemy fire. Betty was successful and unharmed, and with the replenished resources, the forces were forced to retire, resulting in a victory for Wheeling and a very young United States of America. So, as we gather today, Senator Manchin and I, to honor Wheeling's 250th birthday, I also honor the individuals who built the city, from the first settlers to those who walk down Market Street today. Together, they have secured an important place for Wheeling in our Nation's history, and they have made it the success and the incredible city that it remains today. I was just in Wheeling last weekend, where we had a parade celebrating the 250th birthday of Wheeling. With the amount of young people, music, and great feeling that exuded all throughout the city-- restaurants full, bands playing patriotic music--it was a wonderful day for the entire community to celebrate that birthday. In West Virginia, we have little names for little cities and how we feel. Wheeling is a place I have frequented many, many times in my life. I can say that day, celebrating the 250th birthday on Saturday, I definitely had the ``Wheeling feeling.'' I had the opportunity to see so many of those in the northern panhandle celebrate Wheeling as a vibrant city. I look forward to continuing to celebrate this vibrant city and everyone who calls it home for years to come. I yield the floor and welcome Senator Manchin.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, yesterday I joined the fellow leaders of the Environment and Public Works Committee to introduce America's Transportation Infrastructure Act, a 5-year reauthorization bill that would deliver resources to repair and maintain critical surface transportation infrastructure. Today the committee approved our comprehensive legislation with a strong bipartisan vote of 21 to 0 this morning. As the chair of the EPW's Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee, I am incredibly proud of this legislation, which is the result of months of serious negotiations with the full committee chairman, Senator Barrasso, and Ranking Member Carper, my subcommittee, and my ranking member, Senator Cardin of Maryland. It was not always easy, but I think we have produced a bill that achieves our priorities and secures needed investments in our Nation's infrastructure. First and foremost, the bill provides additional funding for highway investment. How many times do we hear: We don't have enough money to complete this. We can't get it done. This also maintains the States' shares through formula dollars. That means a rising tide lifts all boats, whether a State is urban or rural, like my home State of West Virginia. The majority of these funds--90 percent--are distributed by the formula to the States, providing maximum flexibility to our State programs, and with a full 5-year reauthorization, State DOTs will have the certainty they need to plan their investments without fear of lapses in their contracting authority. After all, it is the States, not the bureaucrats in Washington, that know their communities' needs the best. Our legislation would get rid of some of the obstacles the States face as they work to start and finalize infrastructure plans. They take forever, and they cost so much. The bill incorporates the Trump administration's focus on One Federal Decision. Under that policy, the U.S. Department of Transportation is in charge of leading the regulatory review process--One Federal Decision--and it would consolidate the review of other Federal agencies like the EPA, the Corps of Engineers, and others who weigh in on these projects. That means the States will not end up in a regulatory purgatory, going back and forth from agency to agency seeking endless approvals. DOT would also maintain a Federal dashboard system so the States can see where they stand in the process. America's Transportation Infrastructure Act directs the Department of Transportation to work to complete its review process within 2 years and to push other agencies to expedite their regulatory reviews. Everything drags on so much, and it makes it so long and expensive. This would push our agencies to expedite their regulatory reviews under its own categorical exclusions. That is a fancy term for when the Department doesn't think a full, costly, and time-consuming permitting process is necessary for a straightforward infrastructure project such as replacing a bridge from right where it is and putting a new bridge right where it is. It takes forever. So we would eliminate that. We also worked in a bipartisan way to promote natural infrastructure that will help reduce costs and timelines, diminish environmental impacts, and improve the resiliency of our infrastructure to natural disasters such as floods that are so common in my part of the country. West Virginia has the unfortunate title of being in the top five States of structurally deficient bridges. That is why I am very proud that America's Transportation and Infrastructure Act includes language I cosponsored with Senator Brown implementing the new Bridge Investment Program. This program will infuse $6 billion over 5 years in additional funding to fix bridges in poor condition--dedicated funding that is essential to addressing this problem. When faced with the decision on using scarce taxpayer dollars on a new highway expansion or improving bridge safety, too often--it is too tempting--States opt for the appeal of a ribbon-cutting on a new stretch of highway. Now, hopefully, they won't have to make that choice and we can reduce both congestion and the odds of a bridge failure-- something that not only threatens our lives but also cuts off a community while they wait for a costly replacement. The climate and resilience portion of America's Transportation Infrastructure Act will reduce emissions from the transportation sector and ensure that the taxpayers are not repeatedly replacing infrastructure affected by natural disasters. This portion of the bill also includes important bipartisan legislation that I cosponsored. The first is called the USE IT Act. This would facilitate the deployment of carbon capture, utilization, and storage technologies by reducing regulatory obligations that the project stakeholders would face. It also includes the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act, which will provide funding to States and communities to replace older, smog-producing vehicles--like obsolete schoolbuses--with modern vehicles that use diesel, propane, natural gas, and electricity. Most importantly for West Virginia and for broader Appalachia, this legislation includes several provisions, which I wrote, to accelerate the completion of the Appalachian Development Highway System and reauthorize the economic development activities of the Appalachian Regional Commission. The commission was first authorized in 1965. The Appalachian Development Highway System was designed to better integrate our region with the Midwest, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and South. For an economically-distressed area with communities that are relatively isolated, this infrastructure network is vital. It is vital for attracting investment, creating new economic opportunities, and improving quality of life. The Appalachian Regional Commission has found that the highway system has already created and supported more than 168,000 jobs and generated $7.8 billion in wage income that otherwise would not have existed. Those wages, in turn, drive local and Federal tax bases. Completing this system would generate an additional $8.7 billion in annual economic activity. It would support another 46,000 jobs and lead to an additional $2.7 billion in worker income. These are very significant numbers. I can't really overstate the impact this additional economic activity would have in our region. Unfortunately, the Appalachian Development Highway System is only 90 percent complete. The remaining 10 percent generally represents the most challenging mountain terrain, and that means these are the costliest and most environmentally complicated miles to complete. We have to get this done. The highway system was started almost 55 years ago. America is better than letting an infrastructure priority just sit around for more than half a century with no end in sight due to lack of funding or regulatory uncertainty. This was also a promise made to the people of Appalachia. The Appalachian Development Highway System completion was identified as being in our national interest in the last two highway bills. But it is America's Transportation Infrastructure Act that will actually provide a mechanism to move us toward the finish line. Beyond the regulatory reforms I just spoke about, my language allows States that for whatever reason have accrued significant Appalachian Development Highway System balances to exchange those dollars with States like West Virginia that are still working to complete projects, like our Corridor H. But we lack the resources to engineer and construct these challenging remaining miles. In return, those States that turn their dollars back in to the Appalachian Development Highway System will receive dollars that they could use for any project in their State that would otherwise be eligible as a Federal highway project. That means that States can respond to the changing transportation needs in their particular area. They use excess dollars from an undersubscribed Federal loan program, which has historically not contributed to infrastructure investment in rural America. This would be a win for all States involved. Those needing additional funding will be able to continue to advance the Appalachian Development Highway System, and States that have needed to shift their focus--say on growing urban transportation needs--will have the added flexibility to be able to do that. I appreciate my fellow Appalachian Development Highway System State committee colleagues for working with me to include this provision, as well as Leader McConnell's support on this section of the bill and our counterpart legislation, the Advancing Infrastructure Development in Appalachia Act. The committee also included language that I wrote and worked with those individuals on to reauthorize the Appalachian Regional Commission--a key economic development agency--at $180 million a year. My provision also doubles to $20 million the funding available for something that I care deeply about, and that is broadband deployment in Appalachia, which is a critical tool for connecting our communities and making and keeping our region more competitive. I thank Leader McConnell and Ranking Member Cardin and Senator Wicker for their support of this language and the stand-alone ARC authorization bill. Leader McConnell also joined me in authorizing the ARC to provide up to $5 million in grants to support the development of a central Appalachian natural gas liquids storage hub, along with the associated downstream manufacturing sector for it. This infrastructure project would be huge for the economies of West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. In fact, the American Chemistry Council estimates that this regional market and downstream manufacturing would generate $36 billion in capital investment and more than 100,000 jobs. It would also help keep a much larger share of the economic value and employment opportunity in our States where the resources are, compared to just producing and then exporting the gas and associated natural gas liquids to other parts of the country or abroad. Secretary Perry and the Department of Energy have also endorsed the concept of this project, as well as the significant economic and energy security dividends that it would pay for Appalachia and the entire United States. This is somewhat of a modest investment given the significant private sector capital needed to build this out, but it is essential that the Federal Government send clear messages to potential investors that it supports this driver of economic growth in an area that would greatly benefit. This legislation gives the ARC the power to lead the way. Investment in our country's infrastructure is vital to the many aspects of our American life, from keeping us competitive in the global economy and keeping our drivers safe--there are a lot of safety aspects in this bill--to reducing irritating congestion and minimizing impacts to the economy. America's Transportation Infrastructure Act delivers on all these fronts and ensures that rural America will benefit equally from these investments. Not only will our legislation help rebuild and repair our infrastructure system, but it will also help us create new infrastructure opportunities for generations to come. I appreciate my colleagues' collaboration. My colleague from Rhode Island is on the floor. He was on the committee this morning when we both voted in favor of this legislation. It is a bipartisan bill working to make sure that this country sees a 5-year highway reauthorization and all the benefits it would provide. I think all my Senate colleagues will find a lot to like in this legislation. I am hoping we get it on the floor in the fall. I encourage their support when it comes time for a vote. I yield the floor.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize my friend Larry Robertson, a dedicated servant to the great people of West Virginia. After 20 years, Larry will be retiring from his post as executive director of HospiceCare, in my hometown of Charleston, WV. As a lifelong residence of the State capital city, Larry dedicated his career to caring for those in his area. He hasn't moved around much, with his office only a mile or two down the road from the fill station his father worked at when he was just a boy. After graduating from George Washington High School, Larry stuck around the Kanawha River Valley and enrolled in Morris Harvey College, which is now known as the University of Charleston. With his bachelor's degree complete and after earning a master's in accounting from the West Virginia College of Graduate Studies in 1976, he set his sights on ways to give back to the community that had already given him so much. This commitment led Larry to take a job as a controller for the Blue Cross Medical Plan in Charleston. From this point on, Larry would spend the entirety of his professional life committed to providing financial support and administrative services to not-for-profit organizations in the healthcare field. In the past 20 years, HospiceCare has flourished under Larry's leadership, providing over 300 jobs and services to 16 counties in West Virginia. Larry and HospiceCare also provide the community with an avenue to give back to those in need, garnering hundreds of volunteers throughout the years. There is an old saying that says there is nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer, but I believe Larry's ``Hospice Heart'' is even stronger. Larry has also been instrumental in the foundation and the success of West Virginias first inpatient hospice center, the Hubbard Hospice House. This project started out with only enough space and staff to accommodate 12 residents, but has grown exponentially under the vison of Larry and his dedicated team. By the end of this year, the Hubbard Hospice House operation will be able to house 56 beds in several locations across central West Virginia. I became familiar with hospice during the last stage of my parents lives. The support and dedication they give to their patients is a wonderful lifeline for families and caregivers. I am incredibly indebted to Larry and his staff for their professional services. Hundreds of families in Kanawha County and the surrounding area feel the same and share the same appreciation for the care hospice gave their family members. Thank you, Larry, for your dedication to building such a quality healthcare provider for end of life care that is so highly regarded throughout the State and region. Larry will now have more time to spend with his grandchildren, watch the West Virginia Mountaineers, and work on his golf game, but the lasting effects for what he did for our State will continue on for generations to come. I wish Larry all the best in his retirement, as he continues to make a difference in his community with his one-of-a-kind attitude and generous heart. It is truly an honor to call you friend and fellow West Virginian.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my colleague on the Senate floor to talk about an extremely important topic--that is, lowering the cost of prescription drugs in this country. Just a few weeks ago, on June 20, West Virginia celebrated our 156th birthday. There is plenty to celebrate about West Virginia, from its breathtaking beauty and wonderful families to our kind and hospitable West Virginia spirit. Unfortunately, West Virginia has its challenges, too, including health challenges. We have some of the highest rates in the Nation for heart disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and arthritis. While there are many nonpharmaceutical steps people are taking to prevent and control diseases, for many, their prescription medicine is the difference between wellness and illness or even between life and death. That is why it is so important that West Virginians are able to secure their medications and that we as a Congress make sure they are not paying too much for those medications. Of all the issues that my constituents come to me with--whether it is a phone call, a letter, or casually running into them at the grocery store--this is the issue I hear most about because it is something that affects so many West Virginians' way of life, and it is something that affects them every day. If it doesn't affect them, it affects somebody in their family. The same can be said for Americans across this country, and that is why it has become one of our Nation's top priorities, one that is shared by Republicans and Democrats and one that is a significant bipartisan focus of this administration and this Congress. It is a far- reaching problem with many different factors contributing to it, and that is why we have to address it on many different fronts. The chairman of the HELP Committee is here today. He has worked through his committee diligently, and I applaud him for his efforts and look forward to joining him on the floor in support of those efforts. As we all know, the path a medication takes from the manufacturer to the patient is very complex, with many factors impacting the price a consumer pays. While making changes to this pathway is very important, my constituents really don't care about the pathway. They are more concerned with the total on their bill that their pharmacist is ringing up. That is why I have focused a lot of my personal efforts on the important role that our pharmacists play in lowering drug costs. In many small towns and rural communities--which is my entire State-- pharmacists are the healthcare providers people go to quite regularly, and they are often some of the most trusted, friendly, and welcoming. It is essential that patients, especially seniors, are able to access the local pharmacy. West Virginians and Americans across the country should be able to trust that their pharmacist is not being restricted about telling them how to get the best prescription drug prices. They need to know they aren't facing higher cost sharing for drugs and being accelerated into the coverage gap or the doughnut hole phase of Medicare Part D due to an overly complicated system of fees and price concessions that nobody really understands--certainly not at the pharmacist's desk. In order to ensure that seniors have access to a pharmacy of their choice, Senator Brown and I introduced the Ensuring Seniors Access to Local Pharmacies Act last Congress. We will be reintroducing this bill, which requires that community pharmacists in medically underserved areas be allowed to participate in the Medicare Part D preferred pharmacy networks. Why is this important? If a local pharmacy is not included in a preferred network, a senior must either switch to a preferred network pharmacy, which could be a lot farther away or less convenient, or pay higher copayments and coinsurance to access their local pharmacy. In some cities and towns, you can find a pharmacy on nearly every corner. In rural areas, that is just not the case, and accessing a preferred pharmacy could require significant time and difficult travel. Additionally, many seniors rely on their local pharmacies not only to access prescription drugs but also to receive those needed services like preventive screenings and medication therapy management. As important as access to a local pharmacy is, it is also essential that patients can trust their pharmacists to let them know which payment method provides the most savings when purchasing their prescription drugs. I was proud to join Senator Collins last year as a cosponsor of the Patient Right to Know Drug Prices Act. This commonsense bill, which the President signed into law in October, bans the use of the pharmacy gag clause. It was hard to believe this still existed. These clauses were put into place by insurers and pharmacy benefit managers, and they prevented our pharmacists from proactively telling consumers that their prescriptions could cost less--less--if they paid out of pocket rather than relying on their insurance plan. I am also currently working with Senators Tester, Cassidy, and Brown on legislation that would help improve transparency and accuracy in Medicare Part D drug spending. Our bill would reform the application process of pharmacy price concessions, also known as direct and indirect remuneration, or DIR fees, in the Medicare Part D Program. It sounds complicated, but it is driving up the cost of our pharmaceuticals. This will ensure that our seniors are not facing higher cost sharing for their drugs or, again, being accelerated into the coverage gap. It will also help ensure that local pharmacies are able to stay open. This is critical. We have to keep our local pharmacies open for a vast majority of rural America and have them continue to stay open and continue to serve Medicare beneficiaries and other communities that rely on them. It would provide needed financial certainty for these pharmacies, which are often small businesses. My colleagues and I hope to see this legislation included in the soon-to-be-released Senate finance package. These are just a few examples of how we are working to lower prescription drug costs. I have been listening to my colleagues and have heard a lot of other ideas. They are small but much needed steps that can be, and already are, making a real difference in our constituents' lives, but our work is far from over. We have to continue looking at both commonsense and complex solutions to the problem. This is a complex problem. While as a Congress and a country we may not agree on the best way to do that, we do all agree that it is a problem that needs to be solved. I look forward to continuing to work with Senator Alexander and Senator Lankford, who are on the floor here today, and my other colleagues and the administration to find that pathway forward to lowering the cost of prescription drugs. I yield back.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I rise to address two very important bills that are before the Senate this week--the National Defense Authorization Act and the border supplemental appropriations bill. First, on the NDAA, I am pleased that this bill meets the needs of our all-volunteer force by providing the brave men and women with one of the largest raises in a decade, that of 3.1 percent. With the rising threat of countries such as China, Russia, and Iran, this NDAA authorizes funding for crucial defense efforts to make certain that our military is well prepared and equipped to defend this Nation from the threats and challenges we face. The NDAA substitute actually includes an amendment I offered, joined by my Senate Environment and Public Works chairman, John Barrasso, of Wyoming, by Ranking Member Carper, and by several other bipartisan cosponsors. This amendment will formally address the PFAS contamination about which I have spoken on the floor. It directly mirrors my legislation, the PFAS Release Disclosure and Protection Act, which the committee approved last week. PFAS pollution is a nationwide problem, but its effects are concentrated locally, often in rural and disadvantaged communities, especially those near military installations where large volumes of certain firefighting foams have been deployed. Significant exposure to the legacy compounds of PFOA and PFOS have been linked to rare cancers and developmental issues. I got involved with this issue because it is important but also because two communities in West Virginia were all too familiar with the PFAS contamination and its effects--Parkersburg, WV, which has endured a history of industrial PFAS contamination, and Martinsburg, which has been impacted by the use of firefighting foams. My amendment will provide certainty to our citizens that the water coming out of their taps is safe--in my opinion, that is really not much to ask--by requiring that the EPA set a safe drinking water standard for PFOS and PFOA within 2 years and that it look at regulating other types of PFAS chemicals as the science would merit. It also provides funding and technical assistance to ensure that small and rural water systems can monitor and address this contamination. That is a big issue for our rural State. We have a lot of small water systems, and we want them to have the same access to the science but also to the remediation that large systems have. My legislation will also improve transparency by requiring emitters to report to the EPA the release of any of one of hundreds of PFAS compounds into the environment. Sure, we want to know that. Sure, we do. This information is essential for citizens, their local governments, and Federal agencies to be able to quickly and adequately respond to this pollution before it pervades the water or the soil. I think this increased accountability will contribute to there being fewer PFAS emissions in the first place. Several other bipartisan provisions will accelerate research into PFAS and their effects on human health and the environment. It will ensure collaboration between Federal agencies and municipalities in addressing the challenges posed by contamination, and it will support the research and development into cleaning up these persistent compounds. Crucially, this approach is rooted in science and a formal rulemaking process. We have put the Federal Government on a shot clock to act to end agencies' endless delays in addressing these challenges without short-circuiting the regulatory procedures. Make no mistake--PFAS are essential to commerce, but some have been shown to carry substantial risks. This balanced regulatory strategy should provide the confidence to Americans that we are serious about protecting them from this pollution while also not upending the economy. Another important environmental provision that is included in the NDAA substitute is the USE IT Act, which I introduced with Senator Whitehouse, Ranking Member Carper, and its lead sponsor, Chairman Barrasso. The USE IT Act follows up on the bipartisan expansion of the 45Q tax credit for carbon capture, utilization, and storage, which was passed last Congress. CCUS is key to eliminating CO2 emissions while protecting West Virginia's coal and natural gas jobs. Trying to weave that balance is difficult sometimes, but the USE IT Act would provide CCUS project sponsors with a regulatory playbook so that they would know what Federal agencies' expectations are at the start of the process. This is essential for capital-intensive projects in their drawing private investment without having the fear of getting trapped in a regulatory purgatory. Our decades-old environmental statutes never predicted a situation in which emissions would be captured and then actually used for an economic benefit. Carbon provides that opportunity, but regulatory standards that do not reflect this new reality, like New Source Review, sometimes get in the way. The USE IT Act addresses these issues, and it will also fund studies into the pollution reduction benefits of these technologies. This is the sort of bipartisan and consensus-driven approach that will have a meaningful impact on emissions while it will protect jobs and drive innovation in the American economy, and I am glad that we are taking a significant step toward enacting this bill. I thank Chairman Inhofe and the Armed Services Committee for their excellent work on the NDAA. It is important that we pass this bill this week.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam President, today I wish to recognize a friend and fellow public servant of the great State of West Virginia, John Manchester, as Friday marks his retirement from 16 years of service as the mayor of Lewisburg, WV. Under John's leadership, the city of Lewisburg has endured tough times, yet still flourishes as one of the cultural epicenters for our State, nestled deep in the rolling hills of Appalachia and the mighty Greenbrier River. Although Mayor Manchester is not a native West Virginian, the love for this State has rooted itself deep within him. After graduating from Brown University, he packed his bags for Morgantown, WV, and became a Mountaineer as he accepted a research assistantship with West Virginia University. However, it wasn't until 1982 that these country roads called John and his wife Connie home to the Greenbrier River Valley, when they settled in the small town of Renick, WV. John and his family began to grow into the fabric of the small town with only 200 residents. First, they started their own sawmill and entered the timber business. The harsh West Virginia winter forced John to reconsider his line of work, and he took a job as an editor with a newspaper, the Mountaineer Messenger. From there, John's desire to give back to the community that had given so much to him and his family took over, and he accepted the vacated mayor position in Renick. It would be this experience with local government that would inspire John to run for mayor of Lewisburg when his family moved in 2003. Sixteen years later, Mayor Manchester still calls Lewisburg the best small town in West Virginia. I truly believe in John's vision and dedication for Lewisburg and can personally attest to how special of a place that this town is. One can sense a deep communal bond in this locale, which is a direct result of the strong character of its people and the examples set by its leadership. Leadership begins and ends with service. Mayor Manchester is someone who exemplifies service, not only by his words, but by how he lives his life every day. Three years ago, Greenbrier County experienced an historic flood, and while Lewisburg experienced its share of high water, it was spared the widespread devastation that hit the nearby towns of White Sulphur Springs and Rainelle. Once Lewisburg was safe and sound, the residents, under the leadership of John Manchester, pulled together and took care of their neighbors throughout the Greenbrier Valley. I appreciate and commend the leadership Mayor Manchester showed during that difficult time and throughout his tenure as mayor. Mayor Manchester has many accomplishments over the past 16 years of service as the mayor of Lewisburg. On a personal note, I would like to thank John for his kindness to my staff and me during our many interactions over the years. The people of Lewisburg are very fortunate John Manchester chose to live in West Virginia and serve its residents through his constant devotion, truly making this State and his city a better place to live. I wish him well in his retirement. It is truly an honor to call you friend and fellow West Virginian.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam President, today I wish to honor my friend and the first woman mayor of the town of Rainelle, WV, Andrea ``Andy'' Pendleton. Mayor Andy, as her friends call her, has served the town of Rainelle and Greenbrier County for the past 8 years, standing tall in the face of adversity and some of the toughest times that the Greenbrier River Valley has ever experienced. As the first woman elected to the Senate from West Virginia, I greatly admire Andy's initiative and her desire to give back to her community through public service. Growing up in West Virginia teaches you to be tough, it teaches you to be respectful, and it teaches you take care of those around you. I know by Mayor Andy's character and her desire to help others that she holds those same West Virginia values close to her heart. To this day, Andy credits many of the positive qualities she possesses to the time she spent growing up in her family's discount food store, working 7 days a week. Little did she know that these fundamental lessons were building her into the leader that the town of Rainelle desperately needed. The historic floods that ripped through West Virginia in June of 2016 devastated Rainelle, with almost 90 percent of homes and businesses ravaged by the flood water. Out of the 23 West Virginians we lost on that day, five of them were members of the Rainelle community. Mayor Andy was on the scene immediately and worked tirelessly in the days and months following the flood. From moving logs and rocks, alerting first responders, and keeping the community together, she dove directly into the flood relief process and led by example. She was tireless. The impact that Mayor Andy has had on her community will be felt for far longer than her tenure as mayor. She was the driving force in securing funds to construct a new water system that efficiently supplies clean drinking water to the people of her town. In addition, she has also worked to replace aging sidewalks, as well as other beautification and community development projects including the Meadow River Trail. Even now, in her final days in office, Mayor Andy continues her tireless work for Rainelle and its recovery. Mayor Andy and the people of Rainelle inspire me. I am incredibly appreciative of the selfless leadership that Mayor Andy exhibits with her actions, and I hope that it further inspires young women in her community and across our State to rise up and be leaders and influential voices in their community. The town of Rainelle's motto has never been so fitting and true, largely in part to Mayor Andy: ``A Town Built to Carry On.'' On behalf of the people of the great State of West Virginia, I thank Mayor Andy Pendleton for her service to Rainelle. It is truly an honor to call her a colleague and a friend.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam President, I wish to recognize a dedicated public servant and proud West Virginian, John Schmidt, on the occasion of his retirement from the West Virginia Ecological Services Field Office, WVFO, of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, located in Elkins. I would especially like to recognize his leadership and contributions to fish and wildlife conservation. Innumerable West Virginians have benefited from his tireless efforts to improve wildlife conditions in our great State. John has been a vocal champion for creating a conservation legacy through collaboration and strong working partnerships with local stakeholders. John has been working as a biologist for 32 years. For 25 of those, he has served the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, working with landowners and State and Federal agencies. Currently, he helps nongovernmental organizations as a project leader to help restore, enhance, and protect fish and wildlife throughout our state. Due to his leadership, contributions, and dedication to his community, John is being awarded the Superior Service Award by the U.S. Department of Interior. John has highlighted the need for providing restoring wildlife and recreational safety for West Virginians. Beyond the critical assistance that the WVFO provides to the wildlife in West Virginia, it also has a positive effect on the economy. John and his staff volunteered numerous hours on a project to remove three legacy dams, leading to savings of nearly $60,000 per year for the municipal water system and its ratepayers. This work helped connect over 47 miles of formerly segmented river and drastically improved the water quality in the West Fork River. Outside of his work for the WVFO, John has played an active role in giving back to his community. Some of his volunteer work has included time spent helping community leadership and conservation organizations such as the Tygart Valley Lions Club, Ducks Unlimited, Trout Unlimited, and the Virginia Tech Monogram Club. He has also served as a swim coach and official for 30 years at all primary school levels. John has shown that he is dedicated to help all West Virginians in numerous efforts. I would like to thank John for all his insight and advice over the years. My office has relied upon him countless times for guidance and input. On a personal level, he was kind and helpful not only to me, but to my staff as well. They often spoke highly of how attentive, patient, and kind he was to everyone with whom he worked. I wish John the very best during his well-deserved retirement, and I hope he can enjoy more time with loved ones. West Virginia owes John our gratitude, and I thank him for all his excellent work over his decades-long career.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I stood before this body on December 11, exactly 6 months ago, to discuss what I called then ``an escalating crisis on our southwest border.'' Well, 6 months later, I don't think this is a subject for debate anymore. Not only is this a crisis, but it is one that has escalated and continues to do so. Congress must take action or I feel it will come to deeply regret our inaction. When I called it a crisis in December, 50,000 migrants had been apprehended crossing our southwest border during the previous month of November. It is now June, 6 months later, and we are looking at the numbers for May that approach over 133,000 apprehensions--the highest 1-month total in 13 years. In 6 short months, the numbers of encounters on the border have increased by more than 156 percent. Over the past 12 months, the number has increased by more than 229 percent. Those are staggering figures. To put this in context for my fellow West Virginians, in the month of May alone, the Border Patrol apprehended a population that is larger than our capital city, Charleston; Huntington, WV, our neighbor; and Morgantown, WV, combined--three of our largest cities in 1 month. As I said standing at this desk in December, the flow of people across the border is not only larger but is also changing. Twenty years ago, the vast majority of those crossing our border illegally were adult men from Mexico. In fact, in fiscal year 2000, 98 percent of those people caught at our border were Mexicans. Under U.S. law, migrants from Mexico can be immediately returned to Mexico by the Border Patrol, but today we are seeing families and not just adults. Last month, of the over 133,000 people, nearly 64 percent of those who crossed our borders did that as a family unit, and the vast majority of them are from other places than Mexico. They are Guatemalan, Salvadoran, and Honduran. Of the more than 84,000 members of family units apprehended by Border Patrol last month, only 547, less than 1 percent, were from Mexico. So unlike folks from Mexico, these folks who are coming cannot be sent home immediately under U.S. law. They remain in our country often for months or years as their cases work their way through the system. To summarize, today we have significantly more people crossing our southern border, and because of who they are, whom they are traveling with, and where they are traveling from, each of these individuals causes us to have a more significant strain on our system. Our system makes it advantageous for migrants from places other than Mexico to cross the border with children. So more people than ever are making absolutely sure they are accompanied by a child on their long and often very dangerous journey from those places through Mexico. All of these factors I have discussed have completely overwhelmed our system. Everybody in this Chamber ought to believe that and know it is true. Conditions at Border Patrol stations that were never intended to be used as migrant shelters are stunning. These facilities are bursting at the seams, and our Border Patrol agents are spending more time caring for these migrants than they are patrolling our border, which is their core function. At any given time these days, somewhere close to 20,000 individuals are being housed in Customs and Border Protection facilities not at all conducive to extended stays. In other words, these facilities were not meant for long stays. People are upset. It is unsettling seeing pictures of people sleeping on concrete floors under Mylar blankets. I have been to these facilities and, yes, it is heartbreaking to see, but when drug lords are dropping off busloads of migrants in secluded parts of our southwest border, where there is virtually no infrastructure, there is not much to be done to improve the situation, unless we provide the resources to deal with this crisis. So what is happening? In the last 5\1/2\ months, more than 22,000 family units that crossed our border illegally have been released into the United States--often without any place to go--and told to come back when their case comes up, which could be years. I am encouraged by the President, and I am very supportive of the President's plan and his administration's, where they successfully negotiated an agreement with Mexico that will lead to more migrants waiting outside the United States while their asylum claims are being processed. I believe the agreement will improve the situation on the southern border when it is fully implemented. While we have to work to improve the situation going forward, we have to address the problem we have right here today. I am the chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security. I must repeat to this body what I repeated here before, 6 months ago. We do not have a choice. We do not have a choice, but we must get this emergency supplemental done. It is the only choice we have from a humanitarian perspective. It is the only choice we have from a border security perspective. If we fail, the Department of Homeland Security will be faced with even more difficult choices. It will either have to stop their efforts to improve these horrible conditions on our border or it will have to raid other agencies that are vital to our national security. I don't want to see that happen. There was a very robust debate a few months ago about the crisis on our border. Was it real or was it manufactured? I stood here 6 months ago and said it is real and, quite frankly, I don't hear that topic up for debate much anymore. I think we all know it is real. It is tragic, but we can do something about it. The New York Times, no less, is now deciding the situation is ``a nightmare'' and is imploring Congress to stop ignoring this crisis. It was 103 degrees this past weekend at one of our entry points at McAllen, TX, which is the epicenter of this crisis. We know it is only June, and it is only going to get hotter. I hate to see what the situation will look like this summer if we fail to act. I will end with this. The men and women of the Department of Homeland Security who work our border and are trying to process this influx of people are doing incredibly tremendous work. It is stressful, it is hard, and in many cases it is not the mission they signed up for when they joined the Department of Homeland Security, but they have stepped up to address a national need, and it is past time that we stepped up for them and for these children and these families in need. Thank you.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I thank all of my colleagues, particularly my colleague from Maine, Senator Collins, for her leadership on this issue and many others. It is great to be here with our former colleague Senator Mikulski, who taught me how to be tough on the Appropriations Committee--if I could only be that tough. I join my colleagues today to commemorate and celebrate the centennial anniversary of the 19th Amendment. We all know the history-- at least we should--and we have talked a lot about it today. We have heard the names in documentaries and have read about them in history books--Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, and so many others. These suffragists, these leaders paved the way for women to exercise their right to vote, changing history and the fabric of our Nation in the process. I think it goes without saying that this was no small or easy feat. In fact, it was a pretty tough fight, and it wasn't won overnight. It took a total of 9 years for the amendment to reach the Senate floor. In 1887, the vote for suffrage was actually defeated--hard for us to imagine. I think experiencing legislative defeat is something we all have experience with in this body. But that was not the end. It certainly took too much time, and things started to really heat up around 1916. That year, the people of Montana made the monumental move of electing Jeannette Rankin to the House of Representatives. Interestingly enough, with a woman finally serving in Congress, it didn't seem so crazy that a woman should be able to have a say when it comes to who serves. Eventually, the Senate passed the resolution proposing the 19th Amendment. The date was June 4, 1919, exactly 100 years ago. I am proud to say that both of West Virginia's Senators at the time, Senator Howard Sutherland and Senator Davis Elkins, voted in favor of the resolution--I would expect nothing more from tough mountaineer men--and that language was adopted and ratified to the Constitution on August 18, 1920, marking the moment that women were given the opportunity to have their voices heard at the ballot box. Finally, our country was acknowledging that women had a voice and that their voice was needed to be a part of this democracy. Don't get me wrong--women were not instantly made political equals of men overnight, at least not in practice. Even today, despite making up more than half of the population, women do not make up half of the Congress, and that is something we are working hard on every day. Over the years, thanks to the pioneering efforts of the suffragists and others who came before them, we have made progress, yes, and we have celebrated many victories, from the very small to the very significant. Just think, when I first came to Congress in 2001--I saw my colleague from Tennessee, but I don't believe she was here then--we had to work to just get a woman's restroom put in off the floor of the House of Representatives. Today, I am one of 127 women who have the honor of serving our districts and our States and our country in Congress. That is the most women to ever serve in the Congress. And across the Nation, there are countless future leaders. That is why I think this day is so important. I am very proud of the history my home State of West Virginia has already made when it comes to having women participate in our democracy. In 1951, Elizabeth Kee of Bluefield took the place of her husband, the Honorable Congressman John Kee, to be the first woman to represent West Virginia in the U.S. Congress. I am also proud to say we have Carol Miller--another woman--on the other side representing our State. Elizabeth Kee had been her husband's longtime secretary--which, by the way, is not allowed today--and actually stood up against party leaders who said she should retain her position as secretary for the incoming appointee. She didn't listen to that, thank goodness. When the 26th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified in 1971, changing the voting age from 21 to 18, this was done at the dogged insistence of my predecessor, Senator Jennings Randolph. But a proud West Virginian, Ella Mae Thompson Haddix, was the first person in the United States of America--a young woman from West Virginia--to register to vote as an 18-year-old. I am very honored to be the first woman to represent my State, and many of us are that in our States. With that honor, I feel a special obligation to help the next generation of young leaders. I started a program called West Virginia Girls Rise Up, and with that program, I travel and talk to fifth grade girls, encouraging them to set goals for themselves and then work to achieve them. We talk about what it means to be a leader in whatever career or field they love or are passionate about. My hope is that eventually these girls will grow into engaged citizens and leaders--not only women who vote but women who aren't afraid to run for office or run a boardroom or pursue a STEM career or anything else they might desire. The 19th Amendment--hard fought--brought women more than just the right to vote; in many ways, it gave us women more courage to run, to advocate, and to lead. I thank my colleagues for taking time today to celebrate the 19th Amendment, to celebrate civic-minded women, courageous women, and to celebrate that our country is stronger now and will be stronger in the future because women are voting and leading. I yield the floor.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam President, this week is National Police Week--a time to honor the sacrifices and the service of our Federal, State, and local law enforcement officers. I want to take this opportunity as a Senator from West Virginia to thank the officers who keep our communities across our country safe. I especially want to thank the State troopers, the sheriffs, the deputy sheriffs of all 55 of our counties, and our city police officers across West Virginia who serve and protect the Mountain State. Tomorrow, the 38th Annual National Peace Officers Memorial Service--a somber service--will honor 158 law enforcement heroes from across this Nation who were killed in the line of duty in the year 2018. We all mourn the loss of these brave men and women. Last night, I joined thousands, I believe, of officers on the National Mall for their candlelight vigil in preparation for the Peace Officers Memorial Service. What I saw there was really astounding. I struck up conversations with a lot of different people. I saw sheriffs from Florida. I saw the motorcycle police officers from Texas. We saw the mounted officers from all over the country on beautiful equestrian horses. We saw city police officers from big cities and small cities, men and women, young and old, serving our country as our law enforcement officers. As we did yesterday evening during the candlelight vigil, we continue to stand with not just the fallen heroes' families but those who are serving us now. Our country will never forget the sacrifices our fallen law enforcement officers and their families have made. In the coming days, I hope that we will further honor our police officers by passing several pieces of bipartisan legislation. One of these bills is the Supporting and Treating Officers in Crisis Act. It was introduced by Senator Hawley. The bill will reauthorize and improve family support grants for law enforcement officers to better address mental health and suicide prevention. Our law enforcement officers have to deal with difficult and often tragic situations. They are the first to respond to a difficult accident or the first to view up close and personal the devastation of child abuse and other terrible incidents. Responding to tragedy and helping individuals through the worst days of their lives would take a toll on anybody. We need to be there for the officers who are there for us by providing mental health services when they are needed. I also support passage of the Debbie Smith Act, which was introduced by Senator Cornyn. This will extend funding for DNA testing to reduce the rape kit backlog, which has been historically quite large. The West Virginia State Police and Marshall University have partnered to utilize some of this funding in my State. It is important that we continue providing resources to help our law enforcement officers bring justice to the victims of rape and other violent crimes. Senator Leahy's bill to continue the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program, which we participate in, again, in West Virginia, is also critical to protecting the lives of our police officers. All of these bills enjoy broad support and should be passed soon. The work of our police officers do influence so many aspects of our lives. In West Virginia, where the opioid epidemic continues to devastate families and communities across the State, our police play a vital role. They help others to stop bringing the drugs into our towns to begin with. They assist with those who are caught in the cycle of addiction. By going to schools and being school resource officers, they prevent that next generation from going down that path. This week is also National Drug Prevention Week, and the Martinsburg Initiative in West Virginia is a great example of how our police can play such a positive role in our children's lives. This initiative is spearheaded by the Martinsburg Police Department, the Berkeley County Schools, and Shepard University, as well as a wide array of local partners, most especially the Boys & Girls Club of the Eastern Panhandle. Its goal is to stem the opioid addiction problem by identifying and trying to determine the basic causes of drug abuse in at-risk families. The effort is actually based on a CDC study that shows when children have adverse childhood experiences like exposure to drugs and alcohol, it can have a major impact on their physical and mental developmental health. The work these officers are doing, led by Martinsburg chief of police Maury Richards, is incredible. I have seen it firsthand. Whether they are playing basketball with the kids at the Boys & Girls Club of the Eastern Panhandle or spending times in West Virginia in Berkeley County Schools playing interactive learning games and helping students with their work, or simply lending a hand and a smile whenever one is needed, they are making such a difference and letting kids know that their police department is part of the solution, and they are there and available to help. I saw other prevention efforts underway last year when I visited John Adams Middle School in Charleston. I went with Chad Napier, who is from the Appalachian High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force to meet with students. He was explaining to them just the proliferation of drugs, the damage drugs can do, and doing it in a way that could relate to the middle schoolers. So during National Drug Prevention Week, I want to recognize those who use their time and talent to help prevent addiction in our communities. During National Police Week, I want to thank our police officers again and their loved ones for their service and their sacrifice on behalf of our communities. I yield the floor.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, as we begin the month of May, which we are just 2 days in now, and our Nation's observance of Older Americans' Month, I come to the floor to speak on a topic that is very close to my heart, and that is Alzheimer's disease. Like so many Americans, I have felt the impact of this disease. I lost both of my parents to Alzheimer's disease pretty close to the same time. Our family--my brother and my sister and I--helped to care for them. I understand the difficulties that caregivers and families have as they are trying to figure out how to face this difficult challenge because this disease is devastating, especially to the patients and their loved ones. My father passed away in January of 2015, just 1 day after I was sworn in as a U.S. Senator. My mother, Shelley, passed away just a few months beforehand, in September of 2014. There is not a book that has yet been written that can tell you what to do when a loved one is diagnosed because each case is different, and there is no magic formula, but I feel strongly that we can do much more to help our caregivers, to ease the pain of those who suffer from this disease, and, most importantly, to find a cure. The statistics surrounding Alzheimer's are staggering. Over 5 million Americans are living with the disease, and it is estimated that as many as 16 million will have the disease by 2050 if medical breakthroughs do not slow or, better yet, cure this disease. In my home State of West Virginia, over 38,000 West Virginians are currently living with the disease, and these are just the ones we know about. A lot of these cases go undiagnosed or are unreported. Across the country, nearly one in every three seniors who dies each year has Alzheimer's or another type of dementia. The cost of caring-- and this is not the emotional cost; this is the actual dollar cost--for those with Alzheimer's and other dementias is also notable--an estimated $277 billion in 2018, increasing to $1.1 trillion by the year 2050. These numbers make it clear that we have much work we need to do for those living with the disease, for those caring for them, and for the many who face a future diagnosis. Over the past few months, I have taken some first steps to address needs facing each of these groups. Fortunately, this is not a task I am working on alone--as I said, almost everybody is touched by this disease--and I have great bipartisan partners to work with. Last month, I joined Senators Stabenow, Wicker, and Menendez to introduce the CHANGE Act. This bipartisan legislation encourages early assessment and diagnosis of Alzheimer's. It seeks to better utilize the ``Welcome to Medicare'' initial exam and annual Medicare wellness visits to screen, detect, and diagnose Alzheimer's and related dementias in their earliest stages. It also establishes payment measures to incentivize detection, diagnosis, and discussion of appropriate care planning services, including the potential for clinical trial participation. Let's be honest. A conversation along these lines on this topic is very difficult. Early assessment and diagnosis offer the important possibility for the patient to be able to be involved in decisions regarding their own care--involve the people before they can no longer make that decision for themselves. I wish I had been able to do that. I tried, but I wasn't able to kind of get that answer that I was hoping for. That is a goal that Senators Stabenow, Collins, Markey, Menendez, and I had when we championed the HOPE for Alzheimer's Act back in the 114th Congress. It is a goal we achieved in 2016, when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced that Medicare would begin to pay for an individual care plan for newly diagnosed Alzheimer's patients, effectively implementing our legislation. This new benefit went into effect in the year 2017. It encourages doctors to give a clear diagnosis to patients with Alzheimer's disease. That includes information about treatment options and what medical and community services are available. Here is the rub. Unfortunately, in 2017, less than 1 percent of seniors living with Alzheimer's actually received the care planning benefit that was created in the HOPE for Alzheimer's Act. So our bipartisan team regathered--as I mentioned, these are not easy conversations. They are not easy for families, and they are not easy for medical professionals. In late March, we introduced the Improving HOPE Act. This bill would require the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct outreach, to make sure our healthcare providers are aware of this important benefit, and to report back on rates of utilization and barriers we need to know about. Hopefully, this will help ensure more Alzheimer's patients and their families actually receive this benefit, as well as the information it is intended to provide. It is also important to remember that while many living with Alzheimer's are in their later years, like my parents were, there are also more than 200,000 Americans under the age of 65 who are living with Alzheimer's. I have met several who are in their early stages. It is a difficult disease at any time, but for a younger person, it is tremendously sad. These individuals and their families also need access to support services that most their age don't require and don't need. To make sure they have access, I recently joined Senators Collins, Casey, and Jones to introduce the Younger-Onset Alzheimer's Disease Act. This bill will amend the Older Americans Act to allow individuals under the age of 60, who are diagnosed with younger onset Alzheimer's disease, to access its support programs. Under current law, only those over the age of 60 are eligible for Older Americans Act programs, leaving Americans with younger onset Alzheimer's without access to vital programs and services. The Younger-Onset Alzheimer's Disease Act would address this disparity, and it would ensure that these individuals have access to things like nutritional services, supportive services, and respite care through the National Family Caregiver Support Program. Of course, it is also essential that we continue to work toward a cure for this heartbreaking disease. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I have worked with Labor, Health and Human Services Subcommittee Chairman Blunt and others to provide resources for crucial Alzheimer's research. In fact, with the passage of the Labor-H bill last year, we surpassed the $2 billion milestone when it comes to Alzheimer's research. That means we are making sure NIH has the funding it needs to continue its work and to help to support the work of others. I was recently very proud to welcome to West Virginia Dr. Marie Bernard. She is the Deputy Director of the National Institute on Aging at NIH. She came to West Virginia University, where we visited the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, which will be opening soon-- actually, I think in about 10 days. We spent the day learning more about the innovative and groundbreaking work being done there. Dr. Bernard shared with the Institutes' faculty students and staff the opportunities this increased funding can offer to this field of research at West Virginia University. It is easy to get discouraged when you hear about a once-promising clinical trial not moving forward--which was the news just 2 weeks ago. They were moving forward with the clinical trial medication, and they had to stop the trial because they weren't getting satisfactory results--or when we learn that another person we know was diagnosed with the disease or when a cure really does seem so far away. Hearing the passion in Dr. Bernard's voice for the work she has dedicated her life to and seeing the excitement and hope in the eyes of the students who listened to her, the young researchers, well, that was proof to me that we are making progress and an illustration of the will and determination that exists to continue making process. I share that will and determination, and I will continue to work for the day when a patient and their families can more easily receive an early assessment and diagnosis, for the day when, following such a diagnosis, they routinely receive an individual care plan to help guide them, for the day when Alzheimer's patients of all ages are able to access the Older Americans Act support services but best yet, of course, the day when we can celebrate the first person cured of Alzheimer's disease. I think this is a mission for me in loving memory of both of my parents who fought hard through the diagnosis, but in the end, for those of you who have been exposed to this through your own families, it is a losing battle, a sad battle, a tough battle, and an emotionally and financially draining battle. I look forward to working with my colleagues to make all of this and so much more a reality of those living with Alzheimer's and those who care and love them. Thank you. I yield the floor.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President.